Annual Juneteenth celebration makred for June 16

Thursday

Jun 14, 2018 at 10:25 AMJun 14, 2018 at 10:25 AM

Elements of Empowerment will host the seventh Belmont Juneteenth Celebration from 2 to 9 p.m. this Saturday, June 16 in Stowe Park.

The festival is a celebration of the end of slavery, referring specifically to June 19, 1865 when Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the Emancipation Proclamation that had been issued two and a half years prior.

“It’s a part of our history. There’s a consciousness of the fact that slavery did exist in the United States, but not always a consciousness of when or how slavery ended,” said Delta Sanders, Elements of Empowerment board chair. “It took two and a half years for that message to get to Texas. That reason itself is reason for celebration.”

The event will celebrate African American heritage and culture through multiple family-friendly activities, performances, and vendors.

“You’ll be experiencing our food, our music, and show what we have to offer. It’s based on experiencing culture, music and art,” said Vince Hill, Elements of Empowerment vice chair and owner of Caravan Coffee & Dessert Bar. “I describe it as an opportunity to see how our culture is still vibrant and alive.”

Hill has been an organizer of the Belmont Juneteenth Celebration from the very beginning.

“It’s grown exponentially every year. We expect this year to be one of the biggest,” said Hill.

A procession of the Buffalo Troopers Motorcycle Club of Charlotte will take place through the park.

Live music will be performed throughout the event, including Minsky Delmonte performing on steel drums, Kojo Bey and Drums 4 Life holding an African drum circle, the talents of DJ Wavey B. Williams, and professional jazz and R&B guitarist James “Tootie” Hogan.

Activities include cultural face painting by Catherine Courtland McElvane, an inflatable obstacle course, a pottery painting station for children ages 4-12, henna tattoos, a tie dye T-shirt station, and more.